Baby bunnies of different ages

[2rabbits]

I just signed up because I’ve been researching the forum pages, but haven’t found a full answer to my question. We have a 3.5 month male and 6 week female rabbits. They are 1/2 siblings and have been together for a month the family we got them from said. They appear to love each other, but I have been reading this isn’t really a true bond because they are babies. The male is set to be neutered in a few days. Technically even with the wait after surgery that he could possibly be fertile, she still would not have reached maturity. We will have her spayed around 5 months. Do I still separate them until both are fixed or wait to see if their current bond stays? Reading these pages has really scared me for how difficult the bonding process is and it sounds like even bonded rabbits “break bonds” anyway. We are having a hard time deciding the best way to proceed. TIA!

[Wick & Fable]

I have no experience with bonding, but I would advise, if you have not already, take the 6 week old female to a rabbit-experienced vet. 6 weeks is a bit young to be weaned off from the mother, and this may lead to being underdeveloped or ill.

In terms of what I do know, yes, babies get along because they do not have the hormones influencing them to try and mate and defend their territory. Also, the presence of an unfixed rabbit can make a fixed rabbit act hormonal, so it is always safer to separate them until they are both fixed.

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

[sarahthegemini]

Yes separate them. There’s no use keeping them together to see if their bond holds up because they are not bonded.

[2rabbits]

Ah, the becoming territorial because of hormones is not something I put together from reading. That makes sense. I thought fights would mainly be about one trying to mate with the fixed rabbit. The territorial thing doesn’t seem to go away though as that’s the main thing I have read about working on during bonding with two fixed rabbits. I guess it’s feeling so wrong to separate them when they are getting along so perfectly now, but it does sound like all the rabbit experts say it’s a very very significant possibility they won’t as she matures. I’m also realizing I have it in my head that I’ll just have her fixed as soon as she matures but that doesn’t as likely in a spay vs neuter. She could mature as early as 4 months, but spay is more likely at 5-6 months. Ah! What if they don’t bond well later? I guess we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.

Yes, she has been seen by an experienced vet. It was a save type of situation and her mother already had another litter so she was weaned ? She appeared healthy and happy.

[2rabbits]

I think that’s what I needed to hear. There really shouldn’t be a choice. When something startles them or when they sleep they do snuggle together and groom each other. Will they not miss that?? Or it’s just that it isn’t worth the risk? Or maybe it’s that I’m projecting human emotion on them which is likely and I can just get them each a stuffed animal.

[sarahthegemini]

They might miss each other at first but you should separate them in a manner that allows them to still see and smell each other (but not touch) so they still get some sort of comfort from the other’s presence.

It can feel cruel to split them but it’s a necessary evil at this point and chances are, if you split them while they’re still on good terms with each other then bonding will be a fairly smooth process.

[2rabbits]

Ok thanks. Today is their last day together as the new hutch arrives tomorrow. Should I start rotating cages from the get go every couple days? They’ll be rotating between the same play spaces inside and outside so hopefully they will be very used to each other’s scent.

I am planning to set them up so a part of each cage is near the other. In looking at the positive I did realize this will give us more opportunity to bond with them since they don’t have each other for now.

[sarahthegemini]

It’s up to you. If I remember correctly, I started switching right away but there’s no harm waiting til they’ve been neutered and spayed to start swapping

[Sirius&Luna]

I would start swapping them every other day, it won’t do any harm, and will probably make them easier to bond.

Remember that bunnies can fight and mate through bars, and can spray/launch sperm! So be sure to keep their cages a couple of foot apart

[Hazel]

Agree with everything that’s been advised so far. I just want to add that you might want to consider waiting a while to get your male neutered. 3.5 months is awfully young. Technically they can be neutered as soon as the testicles drop, but that hormonal surge they get when entering puberty is important for their skeletal development and overall growth. For regular sized bunnies I would suggest waiting until they’re 6 months old, longer for giant breeds. Same goes for females by the way. Since you’ve already separated them, there’s really no rush. 

[2rabbits]

Thanks eveyone! The separation has gone well so far. The day before we separated them he did a little circle chase, but she quickly flipped the tables and humped him. I wouldn’t doubt if she were eventually the boss. He didn’t seem to mind, but we had to do a makeshift separation and the next day the new hutch came and they are now living separately but can see each other.

The vet appointment is tomorrow, but I’m thinking I’m going to be that irritating person and reschedule. I keep thinking there is a chance his birthdate isn’t even correct so he could be just 3 months now. However, if I wait until he’s a bit older, won’t he establish habits like spraying pee and biting that will be harder rid after surgery?

[Sirius&Luna]

Generally, female rabbits are the dominant ones in bunny pairs.

Is he scheduled for a neuter tomorrow? I’m sure the vet won’t do it if they don’t think he’s old/big enough. Normally it’s based on a combination of factors – age, weight, and whether testicles have descended. 3 months is pretty young though – most vets will only neuter that young if they’re being a real pain. I think 4 months is more common.

One of my male buns sprayed pee all the time before his neuter. It was gross. I’ve seen him do it once since the neuter, and that was when we were bonding him to other rabbits so it was a situation that would encourage that behaviour, as it were!

I don’t think he’ll establish unbreakable habits because of an extra few weeks. There’s also no rush to neuter him since you have ages to wait for the girl anyway, so I would lean towards waiting.

[2rabbits]

Thanks, this is very helpful. Yes he is already scheduled and had a well check appointment a week and a half ago. She said she could do the neuter so his testicles must have already dropped by then. Ugh! I’m having the hardest time deciding. I would need to call in the next few minutes to give 24 hours for cancellation. I also feel like we are just really starting to bond as he is climbing on my lap for short periods of time. I don’t want to undo that soon, but maybe it won’t.

[2rabbits]

I rescheduled his surgery for a month out. I feel much better about it, especially since I’m leaving for what would have been the last day of his medicine and my husband is not nearly as comfortable handling the rabbits, especially for that level of care.

[Wick & Fable]

It’s definitely not a huge time-crunch to neuter males. Yes, those hormonal behaviors may crop up, like spraying pee, but I view it as a “we’ll cross that bridge when it comes up” deals, haha. My Wick took 8 months to show any hormonal behaviors, so the worst that may come for delaying a month is hormonal behaviors come up before then, and you need to decide if you can put up with it or bump up the appointment.

It’s great that you’re thinking about your rabbit’s mental and physical health. It’s good to solidify a bond prior to going through something like a neuter, that can sometimes really stress out a rabbit, so the rabbit trusting you is a good thing to have during that recovery period.

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

[Sirius&Luna]

Great, there’s definitely no rush

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